More Ryanair family restrictions coming?
The only thing that makes me nervous is an article read on the Irish Times today, stating the new security measures to avoid accidents while boarding. Last year a three year old girl fell between the gap of the air plane and the stair leading to it, July last year in Stansted. The little girl was airlifted to hospital, but released after 24hrs, so I presume there weren't any major injuries.
That is quite a fall. I was actually eyeing the very same gap a week or so ago while boarding a Ryanair plane with my twins. I could not hold on to their hands and had to trust that they would not run off or lean over the railing once they reached the upper platform. The gap was still quite dangerous.
My worry is really what Ryanair intends to do. The last thing I want is more restrictions to my family flying, which is complicated enough as it is.
There are a couple of things that really annoy me when flying Ryanair, never mind the hidden costs that always pop up during booking. When you fly as a family there are plenty of little details that can be irritating, for example:
- Why are the terminals on a second floor?
Not only is there never a ramp or a lift available, but you have to lug your buggy, small child (or children) and hand luggage (which is often just the kid's stuff) on your own without any assistance. You actually need to rely on fellow passengers to get down the stairs if you have a buggy. For some reasons, at arrival, there never are any stairs going up and this is recurrent even in newer airports.
- Why do they have to check your boarding pass again upstairs?
I know it's not a big deal, but when you are trying to keep your hands busy with children and focused on trying to find a seat, the last thing you need is digging for that little piece of paper. They could easily do this downstairs and help out if they see you need assistance up the stairs.
- Can't they just mark some seats priority for families?
If that can be done in public transport, why can't it be done in airplanes? I couldn't care less where I sit when travelling on my own, but when I have my children with me I really need a full set of three seats. It's not just about having to sit together, although that should be enough with small children. If anything happens during the flight, will the person sitting beside my child put the airmask on her before themselves?
Priority boarding you say? Rubbish, or rather...another proof that Ryanair doesn't like people with any extra needs to fly with them. Their ideal passenger is single with no luggage, we all know that. Besides, the priority tickets are not limitless and if you book late enough you might not get one. I also don't think many people would complain if families with children under...lets say ten...can get on the priority queue automatically.
The article is a bit vague on what the new safety measures exactly are, but Ryanair has been recommended to see to that "assistance is made available to passengers accompanied by children and those with special needs" by Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
And Ryanair has reviewed the recommendations and will supply "new high visibility tensa barriers, and specific announcements to passengers travelling with young children on both boarding and disembarkation", says Ryanair spokesman Daniel de Carvalho.
I can just hear the announcements: "You, people with kids...keep them under control, things have to move fast here". Not in those words, but you get the meaning.
No, truly, the Ryanair approach would actually be an announcement more like: "Make sure to buy your last minute assistance slip".
I know, it's easy to bash Ryanair. So mirroring Life of Brian. "What did Ryanair ever do for us?"
Apart from the destinations, flights on time, teaching us how to pack (you never bring an unnecessary item again, and really just giving us what we want...cheap flights.
Read the full Irish Times article here.
